Merlin Works Word to the Beat Workshop: Finding your Rhythm and Rhyme is for improvisers (and/or up and coming rap artists) who want to explore rap musicality in a solo and group setting. Practice being spontaneous with your rhythm and timing, rhyme, and create improvised lyrics utilizing your voice without the pressure of melody (though melodies are always encouraged!) This Workshop will focus on using Musical Improv tools to develop your musical skills, developing your shared musical lexicon while learning warmups and games for rhythm and rhyming while making solo and group rap songs on the spot. All Skill Levels Musical Improv Improvised Rap. (6 meetings. Class Size Minimum=5, Max Limit = 16)
 
Your Instructor, is Marissa Wahkuna Ponder! She has been in the Performing Arts since she was three years old. She is a trained actress, improviser, musical improviser, vocalist (jazz and classical), musician (pianist, songwriter, composer), dancer (ballet, jazz, hip hop, modern), and DJ. Marissa spent several years as the vocalist of an 8 piece jazz-funk Stevie Wonder and Michael Jackson tribute band, and sang in various jazz and multi genre bands in Northern California.  She was a member in the narrative musical improv performance troupe BUMP (Boston's Unscripted Musical Project), and the rap improv performance troupe MC Harold in Austin.  Marissa has a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre Education and a Master of Education in Interdisciplinary Studies.  She has spent her career teaching all ages both arts and academics, and using the arts to teach core academic subjects. She joyfully joined Merlin Works in the beginning of 2016 to teach talking and singing improv and have more fun with the improv community. Marissa performed her first original song over 30 years ago, and today spends her favorite time creating songs and instrumental music so she can sing, rap, dance, and keep a beat going!